Gumpert Logo

Gumpert Brand History

Roland Gumpert established the company in 2001 and officially founded the Gumpert brand in 2004. As a former Audi manager and Director of Audi Sport who had also worked in China for the Volkswagen Group, he created a specialist manufacturer focused on high-performance luxury supercars and sports cars. The first model, named Apollo, was introduced that same year.

Production of the Apollo and its variants continued from 2005 until 2013. The company declared bankruptcy at the end of 2013 and was subsequently acquired by a Chinese investment group. In 2016 the brand was renamed Apollo and returned to the international market under new ownership.

Gumpert Logo Evolution

2004–2016: Original Gumpert Crest

The first Gumpert logo was created to reflect luxury, engineering excellence, and high-performance positioning.

• Design: Traditional two-colored shield with arched sides and the wordmark placed in the upper part
• Colors: Burgundy red background, gold frame with black outline, white griffin with light gray detailing
• Changes: Featured a griffin facing right depicted as alive and moving
• Context: Adopted at founding by Roland Gumpert to communicate German engineering heritage through the griffin symbol of power, wisdom, mastery of land and air, royalty, and finesse

2016–Present: Apollo Shield

Following the acquisition and name change, the visual identity received a complete redesign that removed the griffin and shifted to a more modern aesthetic.

• Design: Sleek narrower shield with smooth lines and a stylized sharp silver letter A drawn in three arched lines resembling sword blades
• Colors: Matte black or glossy red orange flame gradient background with thin silver frame
• Changes: Moved from luxurious red and gold to minimalist black and silver while replacing the griffin with a monogram
• Context: Created after the 2016 relaunch under Chinese investors to appear more contemporary, sophisticated, and aggressive

Logo Design Elements and Symbolism

The Gumpert logo history shows two distinct visual identities tied directly to major business events. The original Gumpert emblem used a griffin as its central symbol while the post-2016 Apollo version replaced it with a blade-like letter A. Color palettes changed from dark red, gold, black and white to matte black, silver and optional flame gradients.

Both eras relied on custom modified sans-serif typography with bold weights. The first wordmark appeared in all-caps futuristic sans-serif with rounded arches while the later logotype used bold custom sans-serif lettering sometimes italicized with diagonally cut vertical bars.

The evolution of the Gumpert car logo mirrors the company’s path from independent German engineering to new international ownership. Early design choices emphasized heritage and luxury while the updated Gumpert symbol reflects a sharper, more aggressive direction after the 2013 bankruptcy and 2016 rebrand.

Gumpert logo history remains relevant for enthusiasts studying how ownership changes influence visual identity in the supercar sector. The original Gumpert badge and its successor continue to represent distinct chapters in the brand’s story.